Clarification from the agency

All United States Citizens and Nationals

Assistant U.S Attorneys prosecute a wide variety of federal crime, including breaches of national security, child exploitation, public corruption, transnational organized crime, and violent crime. The positions currently being filled will investigate and prosecute cases involving illegal immigration, illegal trafficking of dangerous drugs and human beings, and targeting the Cartels and Transitional Criminal Organizations designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

About the Office:
The United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC) is a unit of the Department of Justice, with its headquarters office in Raleigh and a smaller, satellite office on the coast in Wilmington. The USAO is led by the United States Attorney, who serves as the chief federal law enforcement official in the district. EDNC is the largest of three districts in the state. EDNC is comprised of 44 counties, and the population is more than 4 million. Joining EDNC will enable you to use your talent, energy and creativity to promote justice and make a difference in a vibrant region of the country that is also a great place to live.

Raleigh is part of what is known as Research Triangle Park. Raleigh, Wake County and the Triangle frequently top national and international rankings as one of the best places to live and work and has one of the hottest job markets in the country. Wake County Schools has one of the highest concentrations of top-ranked public schools in the state according to Public School Review. The entire Triangle region boasts 18 colleges, universities and community colleges, including Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is also home to three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) - St. Augustine's University, Shaw University and North Carolina Central University.

North Carolina is known for its mild weather and natural beauty with an average annual temperature of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit and four distinct seasons. Raleigh is ideally situated - providing access to the renowned beaches of the Outer Banks and picturesque Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina within a two- to three-hour drive. Staying local, Raleigh boasts more than 9,000 acres of parkland and 1,300 acres of water. A nationally acclaimed greenway system spans more than 180 miles, providing walking, jogging and hiking trails and the nicest, most welcoming people in the world.www.visitraleigh.com


Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
• Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 1* year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications: Include Clerkship and felony jury trial experience. Applicants must also demonstrate superior analytical ability; have strong research, writing, and courtroom skills; independently exercise fair and sound judgment; follow all Department of Justice and United States Attorney's Office policies; exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, and law enforcement agencies; interact professionally and effectively with opposing counsel; handle matters in court persuasively and justly on behalf of the United States of America; and be devoted to excellence. United States citizenship is required.

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Evaluation Method: Once your complete application package is received, it will be reviewed to ensure you meet all job requirements. An attorney interview panel will then review all qualified applicants and make recommendations for invitation to interview. You will be notified if selected for an interview.

The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must indicate their preference in response to the appropriate question in their assessment questionnaire (it is also recommended that information is included in their cover letter or resume) and they must submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) which verifies their eligibility for preference. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

- Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
- Required: Cover Letter
- Required: Writing Sample, not to exceed 20 pages
- Required: 3 References that includes name, title, email and phone number for each.
- Required: Your resume cannot exceed two pages - you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages - see USAJOBS for formatting requirements.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

- Required, if applicable: To get Veterans' Preference, you must indicate your preference in response to the appropriate question in your assessment questionnaire and you must submit the appropriate supporting documentation. See the "How you will be Evaluated" section for details regarding what is appropriate Veterans' Preference documentation. It is also recommended that you include veterans' preference information in your cover letter or resume.

Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with targeted/severe disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.

Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee's Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates who have lived outside the United States for two or more of the past five years will likely have difficulty being approved for appointments by the Department Security Staff. The two-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

• Position title;
• Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
• Agency; and
• Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

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